Compare the2024 Subaru ForesterVS 2023 Ford Escape

Safety
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Servicing Ease
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Forester has standard Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats, which use a specially designed seat to protect the driver and front passenger from whiplash. During a rear-end collision, the Whiplash-Reducing Front Seats system allows the backrest to travel backwards to cushion the occupants and the headrests move forward to prevent neck and spine injuries. The Escape doesn’t offer a whiplash protection system.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Forester. But it costs extra on the Escape.

When descending a steep, off-road slope, the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s standard Hill Descent Control allows you to creep down safely. The Escape doesn’t offer Hill Descent Control.

Both the Forester and the Escape have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front and rear seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available blind spot warning systems, rear parking sensors, rear cross-path warning and driver alert monitors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Subaru Forester is safer than the Ford Escape:

	Forester	Escape
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Compression	22 lbs.	23 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Neck Injury Risk	31%	36.3%
Leg Forces (l/r)	105/93 lbs.	220/169 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Subaru Forester is safer than the Ford Escape:

	Forester	Escape
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	66	197
Chest Movement	.6 inches	.9 inches
Abdominal Force	122 lbs.	191 lbs.
	Rear Seat
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Hip Force	670 lbs.	816 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
HIC	121	344

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Subaru Forester is safer than the Escape:

	Forester	Escape
Overall Evaluation	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Structure	ACCEPTABLE	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Head Injury Criterion	107	391
Head Peak Forces	no contact	93 G’s
Neck Tension	223 lbs.	379 lbs.
Torso	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Shoulder Deflection	.91 in	1.1 in
Shoulder Force	201 lbs.	223 lbs.
Torso Max Deflection	1.5 in	1.77 in
Torso Deflection Rate	8 MPH	8 MPH
Pelvis	ACCEPTABLE	MARGINAL
Pelvis Force	1071 lbs.	1160 lbs.
Head Protection	GOOD	MARGINAL
	Passenger Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Neck Tension	45 lbs.	201 lbs.
Torso	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Torso Max Deflection	1.26 in	1.5 in
Pelvis	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
Pelvis Force	625 lbs.	1093 lbs.

For its performance in IIHS driver-side and passenger-side small overlap frontal, moderate overlap frontal, updated side impact, headlight, and daytime pedestrian crash prevention testing, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety grants the Forester the rating of “Top Safety Pick” for 2023, a rating granted to only 54 vehicles tested by the IIHS. The Escape last would have qualified as a “Top Safety Pick” in 2022.

Reliability

A hardened steel chain, with no maintenance needs, drives the camshafts in the Forester’s engine. A rubber cam drive belt that needs periodic replacement drives the Escape’s camshafts. If the Escape’s belt breaks, the engine could be severely damaged when the pistons hit the opened valves.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Forester’s reliability 42 points higher than the Escape.

J.D. Power and Associates rated the Forester third among compact suvs in their 2023 Initial Quality Study. The Escape isn’t in the top three in its category.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2023 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Subaru vehicles are better in initial quality than Ford vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Subaru above average in initial quality. With 16 more problems per 100 vehicles, Ford is rated below average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2023 Auto Issue reports that Subaru vehicles are more reliable than Ford vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Subaru 11 places higher in reliability than Ford.

Engine

As tested in Motor Trend the Subaru Forester is faster than the Ford Escape turbo 3 cyl.:

	Forester	Escape
Zero to 60 MPH	8.3 sec	8.4 sec
Quarter Mile	16.5 sec	16.6 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	86.2 MPH	84.5 MPH

The flat cylinder configuration of the boxer engine in the Forester lowers its center of gravity, enhancing handling stability without compromising ground clearance. The Escape doesn’t offer a boxer engine configuration.

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Forester gets better mileage than the Escape:

			MPG
Forester
	AWD	2.5 DOHC flat-4	26 city/33 hwy
Escape
	AWD	1.5 turbo 3-cyl.	26 city/32 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	23 city/31 hwy

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Subaru Forester uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Escape with the 2.0 turbo 4-cylinder engine requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost on average about 82.8 cents more per gallon.

The Forester has 1.8 gallons more fuel capacity than the Escape FWD’s standard fuel tank (16.6 vs. 14.8 gallons), for longer range between fill-ups. The Forester has almost a gallon more fuel capacity than the Escape AWD’s standard fuel tank (16.6 vs. 15.7 gallons).

The Forester has a standard locking fuel door which locks and unlocks with the power locks. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Escape. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Transmission

The Forester has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Escape doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Forester stops much shorter than the Escape:

	Forester	Escape
60 to 0 MPH	117 feet	128 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Forester’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Escape’s standard 65 series tires.

The Forester Wilderness has a standard full size spare tire so a flat doesn’t interrupt your trip. A full size spare isn’t available on the Escape; it requires you to depend on a temporary spare, which limits mileage and speed before replacement.

Suspension and Handling

The Forester Limited handles at .82 G’s, while the Escape AWD pulls only .76 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Forester Limited executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver quicker than the Escape (27.3 seconds @ .63 average G’s vs. 28.2 seconds @ .62 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Forester’s turning circle is 1.8 feet tighter than the Escape’s (35.4 feet vs. 37.2 feet).

Passenger Space

The Forester has 7.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Escape (111.6 vs. 104).

The Forester has 1.2 inches more front headroom, .9 inches more front legroom, .5 inches more front shoulder room, .3 inches more rear headroom, .3 inches more rear hip room and 1.2 inches more rear shoulder room than the Escape.

For enhanced passenger comfort on long trips the Forester Premium/Sport/Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s rear seats recline. The Escape’s rear seats don’t recline.

Cargo Capacity

The Forester has a larger cargo volume with its rear seat folded than the Escape with its rear seat folded (74.2 vs. 65.4 cubic feet).

A control in the cargo area automatically lowers the Forester Wilderness/Limited/Touring’s rear seats, to make changing between passengers and cargo easier. The Escape doesn’t offer automatic folding seats.

Servicing Ease

The engine in the Forester is mounted longitudinally (North-South), instead of sideways, as in the Escape. This makes it easier to service and maintain, because the accessory belts are in front.

Ergonomics

The Forester’s standard driver’s power window opens or closes with one touch of the window control, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths. The Escape’s standard driver’s power window switch has to be held the entire time to close it fully.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) conducts detailed tests on headlights for their range both straight ahead and in curves and to be certain they don’t exceed acceptable amounts of glare to oncoming drivers. The Forester’s headlights were rated “Good” by the IIHS, while the Escape’s headlights are rated “Acceptable” to “Marginal.”

To help drivers see further while navigating curves, the Forester has standard adaptive headlights to illuminate around corners automatically by reading vehicle speed and steering wheel angle. The Escape doesn’t offer cornering lights.

When the Forester Touring is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Escape’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

The Forester’s optional rear and side view mirrors have an automatic dimming feature. These mirrors can be set to automatically darken quickly when headlights shine on them, keeping following vehicles from blinding or distracting the driver. The Escape offers an automatic rear view mirror, but its side mirrors don’t dim.

Both the Forester and the Escape offer available heated front seats. The Forester Touring also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Escape.

For greater rear passenger comfort, the Forester has standard rear a/c vents to keep rear occupants more comfortable. The Escape S doesn’t offer rear vents.

Economic Advantages

Insurance will cost less for the Forester owner. The Car Book by Jack Gillis rates the Forester with a number “1” insurance rate while the Escape is rated higher at a number “5” rate.

According to The Car Book by Jack Gillis, the Forester is less expensive to operate than the Escape because typical repairs cost much less on the Forester than the Escape, including $1255 less for a muffler, $12 less for front brake pads, $457 less for a timing belt/chain and $431 less for a power steering pump.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® chose the Subaru Forester as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance. The Ford Escape isn't recommended.

Car and Driver performed a comparison test in its May 2020 issue and they ranked the Subaru Forester Limited higher than the Ford Escape AWD.